Published: March 31, 2022
Before hiring a contractor to work on your home, it's wise to make sure they are licensed, bonded and insured. It helps to protect you if the contractor doesn't complete work properly, if there are any damages, or if workers are injured while at your home. For governments, it's not just wise—it's required by law.
As you enter into new federal award agreements this year, keep in mind they will likely have reporting requirements. We first ran this article in March 2022, but due to its importance, we're republishing it as a reminder.
Almost every federal program award requires recipients to file reports, which could include financial, performance and other special purpose reporting. Awarding agencies rely on these reports to ensure recipients used federal funds to achieve program objectives, which helps them make future funding decisions.
This is the final article of our six-part power of a problem series. Missed any of the previous articles in the series? Read them all here.
This is the fifth article of our six-part power of a problem series. Missed the last article? Read it here.
This is the fourth article of our six-part power of a problem series. Missed the last article? Read it here.
This is the third article of our six-part power of a problem series. Missed the last article? Read it here.
This is the second article of our six-part power of a problem series. Missed the introductory article? Read it here.
As a manager, you've likely come to think of problems as bad things. They are something you need to get rid of or fix as quickly as possible. Problems cause pain, anxiety and stress—for you, your staff and your organization. So it's only natural to view problems with a wary eye and a sigh before you cast about for a quick solution to make them go away.
Washington's state and local governments possess countless IT systems that provide critical government services and handle vital and sometimes very personal data. The public expects government to do all it can to ensure that these systems are secure so critical services can be delivered and data stored in those systems is not lost, stolen or damaged.
The State Auditor's Office plays a unique role in keeping an independent eye on government IT security. We work with state and local governments to help improve their cybersecurity programs through audits and outreach activities.